Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristine Edstrom.
Hi Kristine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My interest in psychology started in high school when I took a college intro to psych course. From there my guidance counselor helped me get into UWS for my BA in psychology. However, life took hold and I ended up quitting during my last semester of my BA. A couple years later while having a young son I went back to school online. I ultimately wanted to be a Forensic Psychologist and got my MA in Forensic Psychology. The idea of standing up defending a dissertation scared me away from going for my Ph. D. I then decided that I would go to school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I always knew I wanted to be doing something that helped people with their struggles and I was no stranger to what mental health struggles looked like due to close family members struggling my whole life with their mental health and addiction.
I did my practicum under one of the most wonderful children counselors there is, Deb Fisher and I did my internship mostly working with children. However, I got pregnant with my second child after my internship and knew I would not have the energy needed to work with children and then come home and provide the same energy for my own children. I started working more with teens and adults through Eustice Counseling. I enjoyed the small practice way of doing things, being able to see the client for a person and not for the bottom line of a dollar and keeping a big business with high profits. When Gary told me he was retiring I decided to venture out on my own and start my own private practice. Thankfully for me I was able to keep one of the two offices Gary had in Virginia and have now been able to serve the community since July 2022.
Mindfully Blessed was a name that kept coming to me when thinking about a name for my private practice. I felt blessed to be able to do something of this nature and one of the best practices in counseling is to remember to be mindful in everything that you do. Therefore, Mindfully Blessed was something that just felt right. My logo design is for my late brother Martin. He committed suicide when I was pregnant with my oldest son and he had the tribal sun tattooed on his back. It is a design that I carried through my own memory tattoo for him and it felt fitting to keep him with me in this journey through my logo as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been the easiest to start out with your own private practice. Thankfully the Northeast Entrepreneur fund helped with start up cost through a business loan. However, by the grace of God everything appeared to fall into place to make opening my doors a possibility. There are times that clients are feeling healthy and life gets in the way which can create uncertainty in my finances but through it all I have been able to keep my doors open to continue to serve the community via telehealth and in office.
We’ve been impressed with Mindfully Blessed, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I went into mental health for personal reasons and wanting a better understanding of those around me. I obtained a Master Degree in Forensic Psychology and a Master degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling before starting I career providing individual and family mental health counseling. I was trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Certified Additions Informed, and Trauma informed. After 6 years of experience in counseling, with most of my experience being through Eustice Counseling, I opened up a small private practice to provide therapy for those who are suffering mental health concerns. It has now been open for over 3 years.
I use a client-centered, strength based approach to help individuals (adults and adolescents) who are struggling with their mental health. I provide individual, couple and family therapy for those within the community as well as providing diagnostic assessments.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can continue to refer people to therapy and encourage them to check out many therapists in their area in order to feel that are connected to the right one who can help them the most. Your relationship with people who provide services to you should be one that you feel comfortable with and that you feel open enough to get what you need out of the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mindfullyblessedmn.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BqyybRrFr/?mibextid=wwXIfr
